Business Insights and Conditions Survey questions: 4 September 2023 to 17 September 2023

These questions are for Wave 91 of the fortnightly Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) dispatched on 4 September 2023.

Which of the following statements best describes your business's trading status?

• Currently fully trading

• Currently partially trading

• Paused trading but intends to restart in the next two weeks

• Paused trading and does not intend to restart in the next two weeks

• Permanently ceased trading

How did your business's turnover in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month? 

• Turnover increased       

• Turnover stayed the same          

• Turnover decreased      

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for turnover in October 2023?

• Expect turnover to increase       

• Expect turnover to stay the same            

• Expect turnover to decrease      

• Not sure

How did the prices of goods or services bought by your business in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did the prices of goods or services sold by your business in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Prices increased

• Prices stayed the same

• Prices decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

What are your business's expectations for the prices of goods or services sold in October 2023?

• Prices will increase

• Prices will stay the same

• Prices will decrease

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Which of the following factors, if any, are causing your business to consider raising prices in October 2023?

• Energy prices

• Finance costs

• Labour costs

• Raw material prices

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business is not considering raising prices

How did your business's domestic demand for goods and services in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

How did your business's international demand for goods and services in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Demand increased

• Demand stayed the same

• Demand decreased

• Not sure

• Not applicable

Has your business been affected by recent increases in energy prices?

• Yes, production has been affected

• Yes, suppliers have been affected

• Yes, both production and suppliers have been affected  

• No, the business has not been affected 

• Not sure            

• Not applicable

In which of the following ways, if any, has your business been affected by price rises?

• Discontinued lines of sale           

• Had to absorb costs       

• Had to access more financial support     

• Had to change suppliers

• Had to make redundancies        

• Had to pass on price increases to customers       

• Had to reduce staff work hours 

• Unable to maintain workspaces

• Other (Please describe)

• Not sure

• Business has not been affected by price rises

How did your business's stock levels of raw materials in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher             

• Stock levels stayed the same     

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure            

• Not applicable

How did your business's stock levels of finished goods in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Stock levels were higher             

• Stock levels stayed the same     

• Stock levels were lower

• Not sure            

• Not applicable

Is your business stockpiling any goods or materials?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

In August 2023, approximately what percentage of your business's workforce were:

• Working from a designated workspace

• Working from home

• Using a hybrid model of working             

• Not working due to sickness      

• Made permanently redundant  

• Other

How did the number of employees at your business in August 2023 compare with the previous calendar month?

• Number of employees increased             

• Number of employees stayed the same

• Number of employees decreased           

• Not sure

What are your business's expectations for the number of employees in October 2023?

• Number of employees will increase        

• Number of employees will stay the same            

• Number of employees will decrease       

• Not sure

Did your business experience any difficulties recruiting employees in August 2023?

• Yes

• No

• Not sure

• Not applicable

In August 2023, how did your business's debt repayments compare with turnover?

• Repayments were more than 100% of turnover

• Repayments were between 50% and 100% of turnover  

• Repayments were between 20% and 50% of turnover    

• Repayments were up to 20% of turnover            

• Not sure            

• Not applicable

How much confidence does your business have that it will meet its current debt obligations?

• High confidence             

• Moderate confidence   

• Low confidence

• No confidence  

• Not sure            

• Business does not have any debt obligations

What is your business's risk of insolvency?

• Severe risk        

• Moderate risk  

• Low risk             

• No risk 

• Not sure            

• Business is insolvent

How would you describe your business's overall performance in August 2023, compared with this calendar month last year?

• Performance increased

• Performance stayed the same   

• Performance decreased

• Not sure

How do you expect your business's overall performance to change over the next 12 months?

• Performance will increase          

• Performance will stay the same

• Performance will decrease

• Not sure

Please tell us anything else about your business's current situation relating to topics covered in this survey:

• Comments